Spring 2017 Courses

Courses may be available as a credit-bearing course or a non-credit bearing course. There is a difference in the course numbers for credit and non-credit courses. Be sure to register using the correct course number. You will be charged according to your registration.

The Rabbinical School is delighted to invite people to audit select courses in its program. Participation is subject to availability and meeting Hebrew language prerequisites. Please review non-credit course listings and contact admissions for more information.

Teaching Bible and Israel for Early Childhood EducationSusie RodensteinCG-EDUC-504-NC3 non-creditsOnline

This course will explore theory and practice for curricula focusing on Bible and Israel for the early childhood classroom. Bible topics will include selection of choice narratives with an array of supporting activities and resources, practice of adult text study coupled with child-friendly rewrites of selected verses, and creation of Torah-based curricula. Israel topics will focus on the “Israel Connection” – its philosophical base and resources for programmatic application, including our own “Images of Israel,” experiential learning and the empowerment of parents in the “Virtual Israel Trip,” and teaching Israel through children’s literature – highlighting the lives of children in Israel and the centrality of Zion in Jewish thought.

The purpose of this course is to identify the social/emotional and academic needs of students with special needs in inclusive Jewish settings. The first part of the course will focus on identification of children with special needs and the assessment process. Different trends and issues in education surrounding service delivery models will then be explored. The final portion of the course will focus on what schools and teachers can do to create inclusive, tolerant environments for all children.

Too often Jewish education has been primarily concerned with transmission of knowledge, acquisition of skills, and developing Jewish identity in young people. Nurturing the spiritual growth of the child is often missing from Jewish educational practice. This course seeks to explore the spiritual life of the child, and will draw upon the latest research and our own experience, offering a Jewish lens with which to view this spirituality from our traditional sources. We will seek to develop new practices for Jewish education in classrooms, camps, synagogues, community centers that nurture the Jewish spiritual life of our children. The course will offer an educational focus for spiritual development, including the spirit of the child, sacred teaching, spiritual learning and transforming Jewish education. This course fulfills a pedagogic application course requirement.

Too often Jewish education has been primarily concerned with transmission of knowledge, acquisition of skills, and developing Jewish identity in young people. Nurturing the spiritual growth of the child is often missing from Jewish educational practice. This course seeks to explore the spiritual life of the child, and will draw upon the latest research and our own experience, offering a Jewish lens with which to view this spirituality from our traditional sources. We will seek to develop new practices for Jewish education in classrooms, camps, synagogues, community centers that nurture the Jewish spiritual life of our children. The course will offer an educational focus for spiritual development, including the spirit of the child, sacred teaching, spiritual learning and transforming Jewish education. This course fulfills a pedagogic application course requirement.

This course provides a framework for understanding programs and strategies designed to engage interfaith families in Jewish learning and community. It discusses existing methodologies used to address previously raised questions and prepares students to become sensitized practitioners of engagement. Students will learn about specific organizations as well as develop the skills necessary for providing services in the field. Group and individual work will focus on developing innovative programming and engagement techniques, Jewish identity building, and egalitarian Jewish parenting.

iCenter SeminarSusie RodensteinCG-EDUC0-685-H1 3 graduate creditsOnline/Hybrid CourseOpen only to those participating in the iCenter Fellowship Program

As a component of the iCenter fellows program, this course prepares students for the final project of the Israel Education concentration and offers reflective practice on the teaching of Israel in schools and synagogues. iCenter fellows are required to participate fully and complete all written assignments for the iCenter as well as all requirements for this seminar. This course fulfills a pedagogic application course requirement. Eligible only for iCenter fellows.

This course explores the process of educational supervision, instructional leadership and organizational leadership in Jewish education. Students will consider and practice varied models of supervision and staff development and examine issues of change in Jewish education. In addition, students will practice Jewish educational leadership skills, including public speaking, homiletics and educational planning and problem solving. For advanced students and supervisors. Non-credit option is available only with permission of Dean of MJE Program.

This course explores the theories of st century Jewish education and ways that these theories inform practice. We will examine different tools for learning and teaching across educational venues. The course will explore how different applications support current theories in Jewish education and will also identify the pedagogic implications for integration of technology and ideas of 21st century education into learning experiences for Jewish education.

This course explores the theories of 21st century Jewish education and ways that these theories inform practice. We will examine different tools for learning and teaching across educational venues. The course will explore how different applications support current theories in Jewish education and will also identify the pedagogic implications for integration of technology and ideas of 21st century education into learning experiences for Jewish education.

Pardes Educators Program:

Seminar on Jewish Day SchoolsArielle LevitesCG-EDUC-826-P13 graduate creditsHybridOpen to Pardes Educator students only.

Students will study the unique learning contexts of Jewish day schools and the particular challenges and opportunities they present to teachers. Students will consider selected problems in teaching a curriculum that includes Jewish and general studies; integration of multiple disciplines; and intentions to foster Judaic, Hebraic and English literacy at high levels of understanding. This course is for student teachers in Jewish day schools as well as classroom teachers who are at the early stages of their careers in Jewish day-school training.

Students will learn to carry out a variety of behavior-change strategies within educational settings. Emphasis will be placed on the development of supportive classroom structures that lead to positive interactions among students with and without special needs, and between students and teachers. Students will also consider the Jewish dimension of behavioral management, specifically how values such as "derech eretz" can be reflected in general learning experiences.

What does it mean to be educators and learners in an increasingly connected world? How does technology, including the Internet and social media, impact how we learn and teach? What are implications for how we see ourselves as educators and learners? What issues are emerging for you? What excites you? What worries you? What learning or teaching challenges do you have that technology might help you address? This course will explore all of these questions and provide the students with opportunities for experimentation and models for teaching and learning in our connected world.

Supervised experience in a Jewish setting (school, agency, synagogue, etc.) for the full academic year. A minimum of 6-10 hours per week over two semesters is required. Experiences will be tailored to meet the professional goals and objectives of the individual student. If appropriate, a current paid position may be incorporated into the experience. Supervision will focus on execution of emerging skills, observation and basic knowledge. All field experiences must be approved by the director of field experiences. Prerequisite: Models of Teaching in Jewish Education CG-Educ-601.

Supervised Field Experience IIMarlene SchultzCG-EDUC-916-P11 graduate creditsHybridOpen to Pardes Educator students only.Prerequisite: Models of Teaching in Jewish Education and Field Experience I

Supervised experience in a Jewish setting (school, agency, synagogue, etc.) for the full academic year. A minimum of 6-10 hours per week is required over two semesters. Experiences will be tailored to meet the professional goals and objectives of the individual student. If appropriate, a current paid position may be incorporated into the experience. Supervision will focus on execution of emerging skills, observation and basic knowledge. All field experiences must be approved by the director of field experiences. Prerequisite: Models of Teaching in Jewish Education and Field Experience I.

Jewish Educational Leadership Program:

Case Studies in Jewish Educational LeadershipMarion GribetzED-JLS-903-W13 graduate creditsMarch 20 – May 14, 2017OnlineOpen to students in the Jewish Leadership Program only.

This course will explore leadership challenges in a variety of Jewish educational settings, including day schools, supplemental schools, summer teen programs/camps, and Hillels. We will use the case study method in order to uncover and delve into the nuances and challenges facing Jewish educational leaders. The online learning modules will feature a range of teaching strategies—group work, on-line discussion, presentations, and simulations. Background material on leadership will be drawn from current leadership experts within the fields of business, government, non-profit organizations, and Jewish educational institutions. Open to students in the Jewish Leadership Program only.

This course entails an introduction to the full complement of Biblical poetry, in its literary and historical context, and to modes of poetic interpretation and analysis. The course will cover selections from the Torah, Psalms, Proverbs, and the Book of Job, as well as selections from the Prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah. We will discuss poetry imbedded within narrative, genres of Prophetic writings, apocalyptic revelations, and wisdom literature. Second part of a two-semester sequence. Prerequisite: Hebrew 4 or above

HISTORY

CreditNon-Credit

History and Memory: Medieval and ModernBarry MeschCG-HIST-534-W13 graduate creditsOnline

History and Memory: Medieval and ModernBarry Mesch CG-HIST-534-NC3 non-creditsOnline

Working within a chronological framework, this course will trace the creative transformation of Judaism and the Jewish people in the medieval period and the profound challenges posed by modernity. Students will have the opportunity to critically engage with primary sources. Major events and personalities of these two historical periods will be considered. Research methods and approaches to Jewish Studies and Jewish history will be examined.

This course is a survey of the diversity and development of Judaism in the ancient world, covering some of the events and phenomena that shaped ancient Judaism: the impact of Hellenism, the Maccabean revolt and the Roman conquest. Some course time is devoted to the first century of the Common Era-the important period that saw both the birth of Christianity and the destruction of the ancient Jewish state, which in turn gave way to the beginnings of rabbinic civilization.

We will explore the lives and work of six influential Jewish and Christian figures involved in social and environmental activism in the 20th and 21st centuries. We will delve into the autobiographies, biographies and writings of these figures, encountering and analyzing the social-religious contexts in which they lived, their theological and ethical commitments, and the dynamics of individual and communal transformation revealed in their lives. Further, we will analyze how the ideas and experiences of these individuals illumine contemporary social and environmental issues and point to potential responses by religious seekers and leaders, with particular attention to Jewish and Christian communities. The seminar is designed as an interreligious, cross-cultural encounter, and will encourage students to explore the values, ideas and practices of their own communities; to share in a common meal each week and other traditional practices; and to explore resonances and differences across communities and contexts, as revealed in the individuals we study and in our own lived experiences. Course is taught jointly by an instructor from Hebrew College and an instructor from Boston University’s School of Theology.

Students will complete work on their master’s papers and discuss research methods and approaches to the field. At the end of the course, students will present the results of their research to the Hebrew College community in a public forum. Note: Required of all students in the graduate Jewish Studies or Jewish Liberal Studies programs. This course is usually taken during the spring semester prior to graduation.

The sacred bond between teachers and their students lies at the heart of Jewish mysticism. This course will explore Hasidic teachings on the soulful encounter between the master and disciple. Drawing upon both Hasidic homilies and stories, we will examine different models of student-teacher relationship in the Hasidic legacy with an eye to the great power, sensitivity and potential dangers of this bond. We will address questions like: How does one identify his or her master? How does one become a student, and when does one become a teacher? Is there an ideal model of spiritual of charismatic leadership? What pedagogical techniques or methods can a master use to convey spiritual instruction? What are obligations of a teacher to the student, and vice versa? What is the role of experience in spiritual education? We will also highlight the relevance of these Hasidic teachings for our contemporary lives as students and teachers alike.

This course seeks to examine the intellectual, religious and cultural dimensions of the Jewish confrontation with modernity. Through a careful reading of primary texts, students will encounter various movements and thinkers, and attempts to navigate the continuities and discontinuities of Judaism in the modern era. Examining the years between 1780 and the middle of the 19th century, the course will focus on the ways in which Jews read and reinterpreted their biblical and rabbinic heritage. The course will also consider new ways that Jews viewed their past, especially the emergence of a new historical consciousness and its impact on contemporary Jewish society.

A practical introduction to the reading of rabbinic texts, this course will provide an opportunity for students to apply to such texts the general Hebrew skills that they are concurrently developing. Students will prepare texts from Rashi’s commentary on the Tanakh, and these will be carefully reviewed in class. Prerequisite: Hebrew 4 or above

Students in this course will learn the skills of analyzing a variety of Talmudic texts, aggadic and halakhic. How are Talmudic sugyot (thematic units of a Talmudic tractate) constructed? What are the recurring technical terms of a Talmudic “discussion”? What are the conceptual assumptions of Talmudic discourse? What are the social and cultural contexts of the sugyot? Students will learn basic Talmudic terminology, including a glossary of Hebrew and Aramaic terms and concepts, and how to use dictionaries, concordances and other reference tools to decipher and understand a Talmudic sugya. This course also includes selections from the commentaries of Rashi and the Tosaphot with an examination of their interpretive concerns and methods. Students will be required to record selections from the Talmudic texts in order to improve skills in reading Rabbinic Hebrew. Some previous exposure to rabbinic literature is desirable. Prerequisite: Hebrew 4 or above

In this preliminary fundamental course students will learn basic Hebrew vocabulary and grammar needed for speaking, decoding of reading and comprehending authentic Hebrew texts, Modern to Ancient, exploring the magic of the Hebrew Language. The course begins with an introduction to the Hebrew Alphabet and the vowels system through songs, dialogues, stories and lots of humor. There will be some in-class conversation in Hebrew, however the emphasis will be on developing reading comprehension skills. Please note: Study time outside the classroom will be expected.

In the fourth semester of the Understanding Hebrew Texts series, readings will include a selection of texts on modern Jewish and Israeli history from multiple genres including modern and classical texts. Students will apply and extend their knowledge of Hebrew grammar, and continue to build their vocabulary with the goal of enhancing their ability to independently read and understand ancient through modern Jewish texts in Hebrew. Please note: Study time outside the classroom will be expected.

In the Academic Modern Hebrew 6 course, students will continue to develop in each Modern Language skill area: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Intermediate to advanced level content will be covered: G’zarot in the verb system; advanced vocabulary and idiomatic expressions within Hebrew text, which will be taught with a lens into the classical texts; next step syntax templates and vocabulary, will be implemented as well. Genres are diverse (academic scientific articles, lit reviews, editorials, poetry, songs) representing the multi historical layers of our Hebrew language. Spoken Modern Hebrew is used in all meetings.

This course is intended to equip students for precise and nuanced reading of Biblical Hebrew and explores important features of the phonology, morphology and syntax of Biblical Hebrew. A thorough prior knowledge of basic Hebrew grammar, including the system of niqqud and the verb system, is presumed. Prerequisite: Hebrew Grammar Intensive or equivalent.

This course focuses on the distinctive features of Rabbinic Hebrew, including morphology, syntax, vocabulary and idiom. Short stories of S.Y. Agnon, written in the style of Mishnaic Hebrew, will serve as exemplary texts.

ULPAN

DATES: February 5 through May 21, 2017

All Ulpan courses are offered on a non-credit basis. Ulpan is available for credit with special permission—please speak to Tzilla Barone, 617-559-8812See the Ulpan webpage for more information including non-credit and credit tuition and fees, and information on how to register:http://www.hebrewcollege.edu/ulpan

This course is designed to serve as an introduction to Hebrew language study and to ensure that students with some prior Hebrew study experience begin Modern Hebrew I at comparable levels. The Mekhina introduces the Hebrew alphabet and vowels, as well as verbs and syntax sufficient for conducting simple daily conversation. Students work at their own pace, submitting oral and written homework, and taking online quizzes. Weekly real-time class discussions are conducted by the instructor with small groups of students at comparable levels. The Mekhina is based on the seven introductory units of Ivrit Min Hahatchala (Hebrew from Scratch), the textbook used by Hebrew College’s campus-based and online Hebrew Language programs.

This course enables students to recognize and use fundamental structures of Hebrew grammar and morphology, and to acquire the necessary vocabulary for basic conversation and reading of modern and classical texts. All language skills are mastered through elementary syntactic and grammatical structures. Students will learn the basic verbs in the different common active verb groups and their conjugation in the present and past tense. Students will read and listen to stories and dialogues, and participate in guided class discussions. Based on topics introduced in the lessons, students will write their own dialogues and passages. All language skills are mastered through more advanced syntactic and grammatical structures.

This course enables students to recognize and use fundamental structures of Hebrew grammar and morphology, and to acquire the necessary vocabulary for basic conversation and reading of modern and classical texts. All language skills are mastered through elementary syntactic and grammatical structures. Students will learn the basic verbs in the different common active verb groups and their conjugation in the present and past tense. Students will read and listen to stories and dialogues, and participate in guided class discussions. Based on topics introduced in the lessons, students will write their own dialogues and passages. All language skills are mastered through more advanced syntactic and grammatical structures.

This course enables students to recognize and use fundamental structures of Hebrew grammar and morphology, and to acquire the necessary vocabulary for basic conversation and reading of modern and classical texts. All language skills are mastered through elementary syntactic and grammatical structures. Students will learn the basic verbs in the different common active verb groups and their conjugation in the present and past tense. Students will read and listen to stories and dialogues, and participate in guided class discussions. Based on topics introduced in the lessons, students will write their own dialogues and passages. All language skills are mastered through more advanced syntactic and grammatical structures.

A continuation of Hebrew 1 Online, this course enables students to recognize and use additional structures of Hebrew grammar, morphology and vocabulary to read modern and classical texts, and to engage in conversation. Students will read and listen to stories and dialogues, and participate in guided class discussions. Based on topics introduced in the lessons, students will write their own dialogues and passages. All language skills are mastered through more advanced syntactic and grammatical structures. Students will learn the past tense of verb groups introduced in Hebrew 1.

A continuation of Hebrew 1 Online, this course enables students to recognize and use additional structures of Hebrew grammar, morphology and vocabulary to read modern and classical texts, and to engage in conversation. Students will read and listen to stories and dialogues, and participate in guided class discussions. Based on topics introduced in the lessons, students will write their own dialogues and passages. All language skills are mastered through more advanced syntactic and grammatical structures. Students will learn the past tense of verb groups introduced in Hebrew 1.

A continuation of Hebrew 2A Online, this course enables students to recognize and use additional structures of Hebrew grammar, morphology and vocabulary to read modern and classical texts, and to engage in conversation. Students will read and listen to stories and dialogues, and participate in guided class discussions. Based on topics introduced in the lessons, students will write their own dialogues and passages. All language skills are mastered through more advanced syntactic and grammatical structures. Students will learn the past tense of verb groups introduced in Hebrew 2A.

Students will learn to recognize and use new and more complex structures of Hebrew grammar and morphology, such as combined sentences, and will acquire vocabulary for advanced reading of modern and classical texts, and for conversation. Lessons include readings of longer passages, dialogues and stories. Students will be given the opportunity to practice the new syntactic and grammatical structures. Based on topics introduced in the lessons, students will write short expository passages and deepen their mastery of spoken Hebrew through participation in open conversation.

Students will learn to recognize and use new and more complex structures of Hebrew grammar and morphology, such as combined sentences, and will acquire vocabulary for advanced reading of modern and classical texts, and for conversation. Lessons include readings of longer passages, dialogues and stories. Students will be given the opportunity to practice the new syntactic and grammatical structures. Based on topics introduced in the lessons, students will write short expository passages and deepen their mastery of spoken Hebrew through participation in open conversation.

Students will learn to recognize and use new and more complex structures of Hebrew grammar and morphology, such as combined sentences, and will acquire vocabulary for advanced reading of modern and classical texts, and for conversation. Lessons include readings of longer passages, dialogues and stories. Students will be given the opportunity to practice the new syntactic and grammatical structures. Based on topics introduced in the lessons, students will write short expository passages and deepen their mastery of spoken Hebrew through participation in open conversation.

This course is designed for intermediate students who have successfully mastered Hebrew reading, writing and speaking skills. Students will practice writing directed and complex sentences, as well as free composition. In weekly oral assignments and class discussions, only Hebrew is spoken. Through extensive readings, students will expand their vocabulary and increase their familiarity with grammatical patterns. Students will learn the future tense of basic verbs in the strong verb groups, as well as frequently used weak verbs.

This course is designed for intermediate students who have successfully mastered Hebrew reading, writing and speaking skills. Students will practice writing directed and complex sentences, as well as free composition. In weekly oral assignments and class discussions, only Hebrew is spoken. Through extensive readings, students will expand their vocabulary and increase their familiarity with grammatical patterns. Students will learn the future tense of basic verbs in the strong verb groups, as well as frequently used weak verbs.

This course is designed for intermediate students who have successfully mastered Hebrew reading, writing and speaking skills. Students will practice writing directed and complex sentences, as well as free composition. In weekly oral assignments and class discussions, only Hebrew is spoken. Through extensive readings, students will expand their vocabulary and increase their familiarity with grammatical patterns. Students will learn the future tense of basic verbs in the strong verb groups, as well as frequently used weak verbs.

SCHOOL OF JEWISH MUSIC

CANTORIAL

CreditNon-Credit

How to Lead High Holiday ServicesNeil SchwartzCG-CANTR-523-W1 3 graduate creditsOnlinePrerequisite: Requires fluent Hebrew reading & ability to translate with help of a dictionary

How to Lead High Holiday ServicesNeil SchwartzCG-CANTR-523-AU3 non-creditsOnlinePrerequisite: Requires fluent Hebrew reading & ability to translate with help of a dictionary (Community Education Course)

This course provides students with the skills necessary to lead the traditional prayers of the High Holidays liturgy. Students will explore the musical modes of Nusach HaTefillah that are chanted throughout these holidays, and apply musical motifs to the traditional liturgy. Basic Hebrew grammar will be reviewed, and the structure of this liturgy will be studied. Melodies will be introduced for the most common piyyutim (religious poetry), and the MiSinai melodies of the Ashkenazic tradition will be utilized for specific prayers. Requires fluent Hebrew reading, and the ability to translate with the help of a dictionary. Will not count for graduate credit for COSEL students.

Students analyze the punctuation system underlying the chanting of the Hebrew Bible. Students are instructed in the syntactic parsing and correct contemporary pronunciation of biblical Hebrew, and learn a traditional Ashkenazic mode for the public cantillation of the Pentateuch. Prerequisite: Hebrew 4. While this course is primarily for cantorial and rabbinical students, others are welcome provided they have an adequate sense of musical pitch and the ability to read and translate biblical Hebrew.

Students receive instruction on the modes and motifs of Rosh Hashanah and how to lead services using motivic improvisation within the established framework of received Ashkenazic tradition. Students also learn appropriate congregational melodies. Students are also introduced to selected cantorial recitatives, and coached on their authentic rendering. Prerequisite: Rosh Hashanah Nusach 1.

Cantorial Coaching CG-CANTR-579-C11 graduate creditAvailable on for credit onlyEnrollment: limited to students who have successfully auditioned into one of the SJM programs or by permission of the SJM

This course provides coaching by a practicing cantor who will guide the student according to his or her individual needs. Goals of coaching are to increase facility with prayer leading and to improve vocal and musical interpretations of selected repertoire as pertains to the Jewish Life Cycle. The student will be evaluated on the benchmark requirements by the third year of residency to ascertain proficiency. Enrollment is limited to students who have successfully auditioned into one of the SJM programs or by permission of the SJM. May be repeated multiple times for credit.

Preparation for Comprehensive ExamsCE-CANTR-997-C11 graduate creditOpen only to Cantorial Students in their final semester.

This course is open to cantorial students only in their final semester before ordination and is intended for review and completion of comprehensive exams required in either Nusach or Cantillation. Enrollment is with permission of the Dean of the School of Jewish Music. Students in this class must complete all comprehensive exams by April 1. Open only to Cantorial Students in their final semester.

Private lessons in singing. Emphasis is on understanding the working of the vocal mechanism, maximizing the potential of the individual singer, learning to be an effective vocal teacher, and preparing the student to be an inspiring performer. Students will be taught how to use correct technique while singing a variety of different styles of music. Students will be required to participate in a studio recital once each semester and to memorize the music that is being performed. To adjudicate progress, SJM students will also be required to sing in Vocal Boards, performing a liturgical selection either from memory or from the Hebrew text, and a secular piece from memory from repertoire to be approved in advance. A Studio Fee may be charged in addition to tuition. SJM students may repeat course multiple times for credit. Cannot be taken on a non-credit basis.

Kol Arev Chamber Choir Amy LiebermanCG-MUSIC-305-NCNon-credit onlyMondays, 4:30-6:30Participation is required for students in the COSEL program.

This ensemble is open to students who have successfully auditioned for and who will serve as members of Kol Arev Chamber Ensemble during the academic year. Participation is required for students in the COSEL program.

Senior Recital CE-MUSIC-905-C1 1 graduate creditAvailable only to CEP or COSEL students

Private lessons in singing. Emphasis is on preparing the student for the senior recital. This course will be taken instead of voice lessons during final two semesters before graduation. May be repeated multiple times for credit.

RABBINICAL SCHOOL

Please note: Courses offered by the Rabbinical School are not be open to everyone. If the course is listed in the general listings or community education listing as well as here, then it is open to non-rabbinic and non-cantorial students.

BTI students should contact dean of Rabbinic School for permission to take courses which are only listed below and not in the general or community listings.

The Jacob Saga and Joseph and His Brothers: Colorful coats, dreams and near fratricide, famine, exile, and reconciliation mark the dramatic narrative of Joseph and His Brothers in the last third of Bereshit. This course will engage in a careful reading of the biblical text, drawing on midrash as well as modern literary responses, from Israeli poetry to Thomas Mann's great novel. In addition to honing our text skills, we will consider various themes such as the problem of continuity/discontinuity (toledot), dreams and their interpretation, models of recognition and teshuvah, and family secrets and shame.

In this course students will engage a deep reading of three of the Five Megillot: Esther, Song of Songs, and the Book of Ruth. We will consider the historical context and genre of their composition, as well as their significance with respect to the liturgical year (Purim, Passover, and Shavuot). Special attention will be given to the dramatic presentation and character development, along with accompanying classical parshanut, midrash, literary commentary, and modern creative responses to these texts

The course will examine three major themes of Sefer Shemot—the exodus from Egypt, the Sinai Revelation, and the Mishkan—as they are seen in key writings of the Hasidic movement. Because the Hasidic teachings are late works based on multiple levels of earlier tradition, sources from the Talmud, the Zohar, and the medieval commentators will also be consulted. The course will serve three functions: 1) an understanding of the ways in which later mystical thinkers engage in the ongoing spiritualization of the tradition; 2) providing models for contemporary personal and spiritual readings of the Torah narrative; 3) developing textual skills for reading Hasidic and other late rabbinic Hebrew texts.

This course entails an introduction to the full complement of Biblical poetry, in its literary and historical context, and to modes of poetic interpretation and analysis. The course will cover selections from the Torah, Psalms, Proverbs, and the Book of Job, as well as selections from the Prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah. We will discuss poetry imbedded within narrative, genres of Prophetic writings, apocalyptic revelations, and wisdom literature. Second part of a two-semester sequence.

The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to key educational areas that rabbis or cantors may likely encounter in their work, including teaching, interactive sermons, adult education, informal education, havurot, family education, and dealing with a Religious School. This semester will have a practical emphasis. One of the goals of this course is to provide the student with educational concepts, tools, techniques and resources which he/she can use in the student’s future work in the rabbinate or cantorate.

In the Academic Modern Hebrew 6 course, students will continue to develop in each Modern Language skill area: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Intermediate to advanced level content will be covered: G’zarot in the verb system; advanced vocabulary and idiomatic expressions within Hebrew text, which will be taught with a lens into the classical texts; next step syntax templates and vocabulary, will be implemented as well. Genres are diverse (academic scientific articles, lit reviews, editorials, poetry, songs) representing the multi historical layers of our Hebrew language. Spoken Modern Hebrew is used in all meetings.

This course is intended to equip students for precise and nuanced reading of Biblical Hebrew and explores important features of the phonology, morphology and syntax of Biblical Hebrew. A thorough prior knowledge of basic Hebrew grammar, including the system of niqqud and the verb system, is presumed. Prerequisite: Hebrew Grammar Intensive or equivalent.

This course focuses on the distinctive features of Rabbinic Hebrew, including morphology, syntax, vocabulary and idiom. Short stories of S.Y. Agnon, written in the style of Mishnaic Hebrew, will serve as exemplary texts.

This course is a survey of the diversity and development of Judaism in the ancient world, covering some of the events and phenomena that shaped ancient Judaism: the impact of Hellenism, the Maccabean revolt and the Roman conquest. Some course time is devoted to the first century of the Common Era-the important period that saw both the birth of Christianity and the destruction of the ancient Jewish state, which in turn gave way to the beginnings of rabbinic civilization.

A continuation of the course begun in the fall, this course introduces aspiring rabbis to basic sources, practices and complexities of the Jewish sacred calendar. Students will gain fluency in the essential terminology of the Jewish calendar and will explore multiple approaches to Jewish ritual observance. We will integrate primary text study, secondary readings and reflections on our own personal encounters with ritual practice in order to build fluency and comfort in the practice of Judaism. We will also pay particular attention to the issue of encountering this material as future rabbis and educators.

Regular Bet Midrash participation is a required part of the Rabbinical School program. Complementing formal classroom study, students will be paired in “hevrutot” for intensive study of Jewish texts. This takes place during daily Bet Midrash hours within a supervised study-hall setting, where tutors are available to help students work with the original sources and to discuss ideas and issues that emerge from the text study.

Students will learn the fundamentals and principles of community organizing that will help them bring people together as a real community united around a common purpose and ready to act collectively both to live out their values in the public square and to build the communities they dream of having. The course will cover the building blocks of community organizing, tools such as one on one relational meetings, house meetings, power analysis, leadership development, and strategy, Jewish learning, case studies, and ample opportunities for students to learn off of their own experiences.

This course will explore central topics such as the nature of God; prophecy; body and soul; language; virtue and the good life; reasons for the commandments; prayer, repentance and study; rationalism and mysticism; the messianic age and the afterlife; modes of scriptural and Talmudic interpretation. We will discuss main figures such as Saadiah, Bahya, Rashi, Halevi, Maimonides, Nahmanides and the circle that produced the Zohar. Key texts will be read in Hebrew.

This course will explore the writings of major Jewish thinkers living in the modern era and place them in the context of their historical setting. The class will focus on the various ways these thinkers – from Spinoza to Buber – understood the dynamic relationship between inherited tradition and modern conceptions of religious life.

This course is intended for students who have already taken the introduction to Zohar course and wish to continue developing their Zohar text skills. The course will be taught seminar style with different students preparing and presenting the text each week. Prerequisite: The Zohar I

A practical introduction to the reading of rabbinic texts, this course will provide an opportunity for students to apply to such texts the general Hebrew skills that they are concurrently developing. Students will prepare texts from Rashi’s commentary on the Tanakh, and these will be carefully reviewed in class.

This course will train students to officiate at Jewish lifecycle events: baby namings, b’nai mitzvah, weddings, and conversions; officiating at funerals is covered in a class for third-year students. We will look at various ways contemporary rabbis perform these lifecycle rituals as well as the counseling process that accompanies each ritual.

Fourth year rabbinical students serve as rabbinic interns at Jewish institutions. Students will have on-site supervision. Internships are designed to enable students to understand the relationship between their theoretical education and their practical learning.

Sermons offer an important context for meaningful dialogue between a rabbi and her community. The process of preparing a sermon challenges the rabbi to bring Torah to bear on real and significant questions and concerns in her own life and in the lives of her congregants. This course will help students cultivate skills in sermon preparation and delivery. There will be an emphasis on encouraging students to develop their own voices and styles as darshanim. Learning to give and receive constructive feedback will be an important part of the substance and structure of the course.

The goal of this seminar is to expand and concretize the student’s understanding of how rabbis become effective and even visionary leaders. It uses case studies — your own (internships and other experiences) and other rabbis’ — from the field, as well as some conceptual material to investigate the interpersonal, organizational and communal contexts in which rabbis do their work in order to advance your leadership capacities.

As you approach the transition from rabbinical student to rabbi, the question of what it means to lead as a rabbi is likely to loom large. This seminar provides a setting in which some of the key issues rabbis face as they attempt to lead will be explored by (a) considering theories and assumptions about leading, (b) reflecting on your own experiences when faced with opportunities to lead a team, group or organization; and (c) experimenting with new approaches to leading.

Specific themes that will be explored include: developing a personal vision for Jewish life that informs your rabbinate; understanding how formal and informal authority is used; recognizing technical and adaptive challenges and the role of the leader in addressing each kind if challenge; defining boundaries and managing expectations (your own and others’); managing the dangers of leading; empowering others while maintaining your own position; recognizing how religious, cultural and educational organizations change and the importance of forging coalitions, partnerships and supporters; and using the organization’s culture to move a vision forward. Some course sessions will focus on specific concerns that participants have about leading as well.

This course will introduce students to budgeting, development, working with boards, supervision, as well as planning and assessment. Guest lecturers with backgrounds in particular fields will help with instruction.

A continuation of the fall semester, we will complete the fourth chapter of tractate Berakhot, then continue on to a study of sugyot relating to the sacrificial service, Shema, and the Amidah, as a means of thinking about various approaches to and purposes of “prayer.” The focus continues to be both on building skills that are necessary for reading, understanding, appreciating, analyzing and participating in Talmudic discourse and on developing more sophisticated and nuanced thinking about prayer.

Utilizing the Shulkhan Arukh as our core text, this course will introduce students to some of the central laws surrounding labor. As we examine classical Jewish law on such topics as day labor versus contract labor, fair pricing, and negotiation we will also connect these topics with key contemporary questions about labor law.

This course will introduce students to some of the central laws surrounding labor. We will examine the classical sources of Jewish law on such topics as day labor versus contract labor, fair pricing, and negotiation. We will explore the development of these issues and ideas from the Hebrew Bible, through the classical rabbinic corpus and into medieval codes and responsa. We will also connect these topics with key contemporary questions about labor law in America and Israel, plumbing the relevance of these Jewish legal sources in a modern globalized economy. This course assumes an ability to read Hebrew and Aramaic sources, from Talmudic sugyot to the Shulhan Arukh and its commentaries.

The Talmud curriculum for the Nezikin year will focus on selected sugyot from seder Nezikin. Through close readings of talmudic texts and their commentaries, we will explore questions such as: How did the ancient rabbis understand our legal responsibilities to one another and thus the meaning of personhood? How did they understand social status and its legal consequences? What were some of their ideas about just civil and criminal law? By examining these ancient ideas of social responsibility, we will consider how we might conceptualize and build our communities of responsibility.

The Talmud curriculum for the Nezikin year will focus on selected sugyot from seder Nezikin. Through close readings of talmudic texts and their commentaries, we will explore questions such as: How did the ancient rabbis understand our legal responsibilities to one another and thus the meaning of personhood? How did they understand social status and its legal consequences? What were some of their ideas about just civil and criminal law? By examining these ancient ideas of social responsibility, we will consider how we might conceptualize and build our communities of responsibility. The B section will focus on close reading of Tosafot and both close and rapid readings of Talmud.

The Talmud curriculum for the Nezikin year will focus on selected sugyot from seder Nezikin. Through close readings of talmudic texts and their commentaries, we will explore questions such as: How did the ancient rabbis understand our legal responsibilities to one another and thus the meaning of personhood? How did they understand social status and its legal consequences? What were some of their ideas about just civil and criminal law? By examining these ancient ideas of social responsibility, we will consider how we might conceptualize and build our communities of responsibility.

The hasidic niggun is more than a tune or a melody; it is to be savored, entered into with all one’s senses, with all the levels of one’s being. Melodies are punctuated by thoughtful silences, providing opportunities for reflection, integration and growth. This course will introduce the varieties of hasidic niggun, locating them in the history and theology of Jewish music. Our goal will be to develop a “sonic theology” and an understanding of sound, melody and silence as spiritual practice. We will examine the function of niggun in prayer, both personal and communal, and the role of the prayer leader (shaliah tzibbur) in fostering sacred space out of collective energies, as the entire group conspires—breathes together—in holy rhythm. Hasidic sources will be read in the original Hebrew.

This course will introduce students to primary halachic texts relating to tefila in terms of personal practice and prayer leadership. We will study both Ashkenazi and Sephardic sources that explore the traditional obligations one has as a Jew and as a leader with regard to tefila. What are the daily obligations? What are the required characteristics of a shaliach tzibbur? What are the rules surrounding the reading of Torah to the community? We will begin to think about all of these questions as we experiment with practice and look around our school and our local communities to see how tefila is lived in our surrounding environment.

Students in this course will learn the skills of analyzing a variety of Talmudic texts, aggadic and halakhic. How are Talmudic sugyot (thematic units of a Talmudic tractate) constructed? What are the recurring technical terms of a Talmudic “discussion”? What are the conceptual assumptions of Talmudic discourse? What are the social and cultural contexts of the sugyot? Students will learn basic Talmudic terminology, including a glossary of Hebrew and Aramaic terms and concepts, and how to use dictionaries, concordances and other reference tools to decipher and understand a Talmudic sugya. This course also includes selections from the commentaries of Rashi and the Tosaphot with an examination of their interpretive concerns and methods. Students will be required to record selections from the Talmudic texts in order to improve skills in reading Rabbinic Hebrew. Some previous exposure to rabbinic literature is desirable.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION COURSES

These courses are open to the general community as non-credit (audit) courses at a considerable tuition discount. Only the Community Education Discount will apply to these courses. The course number used when registering must end in AU or A2.

MUSIC

Non-Credit Only

How to Lead High Holiday ServicesNeil SchwartzCG-CANTR-523-AU 3 non-creditsOnlinePrerequisite: Requires fluent Hebrew reading & ability to translate with help of a dictionary

This course provides students with the skills necessary to lead the traditional prayers of the High Holidays liturgy. Students will explore the musical modes of Nusach HaTefillah that are chanted throughout these holidays, and apply musical motifs to the traditional liturgy. Basic Hebrew grammar will be reviewed, and the structure of this liturgy will be studied. Melodies will be introduced for the most common piyyutim (religious poetry), and the MiSinai melodies of the Ashkenazic tradition will be utilized for specific prayers. Requires fluent Hebrew reading, and the ability to translate with the help of a dictionary.